


The Finger of a King

by hippocrates460



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Harry Potter & James Sirius Potter - Freeform, M/M, Severus Snape & Albus Severus Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-03-20 20:04:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13724997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hippocrates460/pseuds/hippocrates460
Summary: Albus Severus Potter does end up getting sorted into Slytherin. Severus Snape comes to talk to him.





	1. Chapter 1

Albus Severus Potter packs his bag carefully after his first Transfiguration class. He’s excited about getting to try his first Transfiguration next week but isn’t sure about the teacher yet. Professor Bumble seems nice, but she kept staring at him. Albus shrugs and follows the other Slytherins out of the classroom, his new schoolbag in hand. Before turning the corridor, he notices Severus Snape standing across the hallway, hidden in the shadow next to a scary looking statue. He checks no one else has seen him and walks over to Severus with a smile.

“Hi!” Albus whispers.

“Good afternoon,” Severus smiles down at him. “Follow me.”

Albus hikes his bag up his shoulder, damn these books for being so heavy, and follows Severus down the corridor, away from the main hallway. They stop in front of a painting of a very angry looking witch pacing in a field. The witch calms down as soon as she sees Severus.

“Severus darling, how have you been?” She purrs.

“I’ve been very good Mafalda,” Severus nods at her. “I’ve come to introduce Albus Severus Potter to you.”

“And doesn’t that just tell me everything I need to know,” Mafalda laughs.

Albus decides to be polite to the strange witch so he smiles and says: “I’m very pleased to meet you Miss Mafalda.”

“Oh you may call me Mafalda dear,” she answers fondly.

“Now Mafalda, would you let us through?” Severus asks.

“Of course!” She laughs, and the portrait swings open, revealing a hidden door.

Albus gasps, which causes both Mafalda and Severus to chuckle, and he follows Severus through the door behind the portrait. Severus flicks his wand this way and that, causing dust to evaporate and cobwebs to disappear. They trudge up some stairs together until they are both panting a little. Severus looks over his shoulder at some point and flicks his wand at Albus which makes his bag feel much lighter. Albus smiles at him gratefully. When they get to the end of the winding stairs, Severus opens a large wooden door and holds it open so Albus can step out. Albus is panting from the stairs but the view really takes his breath away. They’re on top of one of the towers of Hogwarts, and they can see everything from where they are. The forest, the lake, the mountains, all laid out in the late summer light.

“How did you know this was here?” Albus gasps.

Severus laughs softly, “if you think I spent decades living here without exploring every nook and cranny, I need to go have a word with the sorting hat about having you rehoused.”

Albus laughs too. He thinks maybe Severus likes it here because it’s not the astronomy tower, but he decides to keep the thought to himself. Severus flicks his wand around and a low table with two comfortable chairs appears. He politely asks for tea and biscuits, which pop into existence a moment later. Motioning for Albus to sit down, he takes the other seat himself. After pouring them both a cup, he leans back.

“How was your first day?”

“It was good! We mostly talked about what the classes were about, but I got to try some spells too,” Albus gushes, splashing the sweet tea with milk a little, “though some of the professors kept staring at me.” 

Severus nods, “you look remarkably like your father did at your age, it is not surprising to me that you would remind some people of him.”

“Except I’m a Slytherin,” Albus mumbles at his tea, wondering for a moment if the house elves somehow know how he likes his tea, or if it’s Severus that remembers.

“That’s right.”

They drink their tea silently for a moment, and then Albus looks up.

“Severus, may I ask what you’re doing here today? Dad said he wouldn’t be allowed to visit and neither would mum or you. And Neville is Professor Longbottom here.”

“Why Albus, I had tea with the headmistress of course,” Severus tells Albus in a conspirational tone. Albus smiles at him again. Severus planned tea with the headmistress to be able to come see him, it makes him feel warm inside.

“Now, I have brought you something,” Severus sets down his cup of tea, and fishes around in his pocket before pulling out a book and unshrinking it with a tap of his wand. He hands it over to Albus with an unreadable look on his face. Albus accepts it with a ‘thank you’ and turns the book over in his hand. The leather cover feels old and the title has become illegible, so he opens it to the first page.

“'The Art and Enchantments of Magical Map Making',” he reads, “How to make maps that do what you want, the revised 1975 edition.” He leafs through it and when he sees the comments scattered throughout the book he looks at Severus. 

“This is your book, you made notes in it.”

“It was my book,” Severus says lightly, “and now it is yours. If you are interested.”

Albus nods, he knows when he’s been given something very useful. 

“Why?”

“Because, Albus, I don’t doubt you have heard everything about being a Gryffindor from your parents, extended family, and more recently your brother.”

Albus nods, his throat feeling a little tight again. James had made a lot of jokes about snakes after dinner yesterday. “Even Maria is a Gryffindor.”

“Maria Dudley?” Severus asks, and Albus nods sadly.

“I don’t doubt that your brother was given that infernal cloak and map before he went to Hogwarts.”

Albus nods again, staring at his hands.

“It will be more complicated to share, with you being on the other side of the castle instead of the next dorm over as your parents expected,” Severus continues, his dark eyes fixed on Albus’ face.

“This way perhaps Scorpius and you can, let’s say, even the odds.”

Albus grins at Severus, who smiles back mildly and takes in the view.

“Now I have highlighted some of the most useful passages, and I am certain you will find books in the library to add to the enchantments once you have made a first version,” Severus tells him, looking at the lake where the Giant Squid is relaxing in the sun. “I believe the passage on how to automatically add everywhere you walk with the map starts on page 143.” 

“Don’t forget that the house elves, portraits, and ghosts know the castle better than anyone, you can ask them for help,” he adds.

“Oh I know that,” Albus sits up a little straighter. “The Bloody Baron told me that last night when I met him in the bathroom.”

Severus splutters a little and sets down his tea before turning his intense gaze on Albus. “You spoke with the Baron on your first night?”

“I did, he was really nice,” Albus nods. The Baron looked a little scary at first, but they had talked for almost half an hour about the sorting and it really had been nice.

“And they say Harry is the heir of Slytherin. Do you speak Parseltongue too?” Severus laughs.

“I’ve never tried,” Albus admits with a frown. He’s just wondering where he could find a snake to test it when he remembers almost all the portraits in the dungeons have snakes. Maybe after dinner.

“Now Albus,” Severus says, leaning towards him again, “I know what it is like to feel overwhelmed by the sorting. Your father told me what he said at King’s Cross to you, and I would like to add that you may owl me anytime, about anything. Your father as well. Between the two of us, we are quite proficient at sneaking in or out of the castle regardless of how Minerva feels about family visits.”

“Thank you Sev,” Albus smiles at him. This has been amazing, he can’t wait to start working on the map with Scorpius.

“I also have this letter for you, from your father and Lily,” Severus says, as he hands over a folded piece of parchment. Albus folds it open eagerly, but it simply says ‘Congratulations on the sorting Al! Love Da and Lil’. He nods at it. Severus has been far more useful, but he appreciates the sentiment.

“Now, dinnertime,” Severus says, standing up and getting rid of their set-up with a flick of his wrist as soon as Albus stands and picks up the book.

“Say hi to them for me?” Albus asks, as he follows Severus down the stairs. Severus pauses and looks back at him.

“Of course.”

They walk a bit further, and then step out of Mafalda’s portrait again. After saying their goodbyes to Mafalda, they walk away from the main staircase once more. Severus takes him through paintings, around statues, behind tapestries and once, through a corridor so narrow he has to turn sideways to fit through. Midway through this corridor, Severus stops.

“This,” he knocks on the wooden door in front of them, “leads into the library.”

Albus runs his hands across the wood reverently. That will make researching map making much easier.

After a few more turns, they step out from behind a painting of some goblins burning a troll, and into the great hallway. Albus blinks at the sudden brightness, as Severus flicks their robes clean of dust. They say their goodbyes quietly and Severus pushes Albus in the direction of the Great Hall. Feeling very grateful, Albus turns around, hugs Severus tightly around his waist, and runs off to join his classmates at dinner. He grins all the way through dinner, whispering to Scorpius about everything Severus showed him.

\-----

 In London, Severus steps out of the fireplace with the kind of grace that still scares Harry a little. 

“What took so long?” He asks mildly.

“After tea with Minerva, I ran into Albus in the hallway and decided to have a brief chat with him.”

Harry laughs, he knew Severus wasn’t going to let Minerva deliver the letter for him.

“Did you get him some Slytherin merch?”

Severus looks at him like he has grown some particularly monstrous antennae. “What a Gryffindor question to ask.”

He smiles as Lily comes running at him and picks her up with a groan. “Little Potter you are getting too tall for this.”

“Am not!” Lily laughs.

Harry sees Severus mutter and laughs as Lily starts floating a little and wraps her legs tight around Severus so she doesn’t float away. The three of them walk to the dining room together, where Harry has set up dinner.

“I merely provided some tools so he may help himself, Harry,” Severus tells Harry when he has sat Lily down and cancelled the floating spell.

“Yes love,” Harry tells him, and he kisses him fondly. “Thank you.”


	2. What is essential

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James learns something he's not sure he wanted to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on [this](http://hippocrates460.tumblr.com/post/180921804719/james-sirius-potter) Tumblr post.

“DAD!” James bellows, when he spots his father walk past the open doors to the great hall. His dad stops and turns towards the noise, then grins when he sees James. With a little nod of his head he says ‘follow me’ and James tells his friends goodbye with less than half a wave. His dad is through the doors already, and walking in the direction of the lake. James has to run to catch up, but he’s been growing very fast this year so when he tackles his dad at full speed, they both fall over into the grass.

“You monster!” Harry shouts, fighting him without holding back, as always, until he’s got James’ hands pinned down with one hand. He tickles him mercilessly until tears are coming down James’ face.

“Stop, stop!” He gasps, “please.” He’s laughing so much he can’t breathe, “pig’s snout!”

His dad backs off immediately and lets himself fall back into the tall grass. It’s getting too cold for this kind of rolling around, but the sun is out so they’ll be fine for a bit longer.

“You’re alright?” His dad’s eyes are bright and green behind his glasses, so much like Al’s, and James feels his face fall. “What’s wrong?”

“Why are you here?”

“Auror business,” his dad promises.

“On Saturday?” James knows he sounds like his mum, and he’s glad to see it makes his dad laugh.

“With Kingsley as your new Defence professor we have to adjust a bit back at the office. I needed his help with something.”

“Alright.” James wriggles a little in the grass to get more comfortable, not caring that he’ll be covered in mud and twigs.

“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” His dad nudges him a little and James swallows. It’s not that he didn’t know he was taking the teasing a bit far, but he just hadn’t expected Al to _retaliate_ like that.

“Al,” he says, “he said that the people I was named after were... that they were bullies.”

“Ah,” his dad clears his throat. “It’s a bit of a story, are you ready for that?”

“Yeah,” James promises, even though he already feels his cheeks heat. He may be a Gryffindor but he that doesn’t mean he’s _stupid_ , no matter what Al and Lil say. If his dad didn’t deny it immediately, Al was right.

“When I was younger,” his dad is looking at the blue sky, “I thought there were people that were bad, and people that were good. As I got older I learned that things are rarely so easy.”

“Like Sev,” James knows this part. “You named Al after him even though you used to think he was evil. But then you also thought he was dead.”

“Yeah, and I used to think my dad and godfather were the very greatest people that ever lived. People told me they were popular, they were smart, they were Quidditch stars, and they fought on the right side of the war.”

“But Al – ” James tries, and his dad places a warm hand on his arm.

“They bullied relentlessly, they were mean to people they didn’t like, cruel to people they hated for no other reason than they didn’t look right. Sirius tried to kill Severus once.”

“Oh,” James sighs, why did his dad call him James Sirius then? Why had his mum agreed?

“They loved me, and they died for me,” his dad says, like he'd heard James' thoughts.

“Like Professor Dumbledore and Severus?”

“In a way,” his dad is staring at him and James feels very uncomfortable. “James, no one is free of mistakes. There is not a single person on this earth that is all good. The evillest people often still love their mothers. The only tragedy is not getting a chance to right your wrongs.”

“Not even you? What about aunt Hermione?”

“Did you hear me?” His dad looks stern. “The only goodness is in trying to be good, and failing that, trying to be better.”

“Yeah.” James isn’t sure he understands, but he’ll remember it. “What about your mum? What about aunt Luna?”

“Not everything is my story to tell,” his dad says softly. Gently. He’s said that before, when James was rude about Severus, in the beginning. “When I was sixteen I used a very Dark curse on Malfoy and he almost died. Just five years ago I hurt your mother very, very much.”

“But you didn’t mean to,” James feels himself frown. “Right?”

“If I had not wanted to hurt Malfoy, I wouldn’t have been able to. That is how this magic works.” James doesn’t want to look at his dad when his voice sounds like that. “And even when you don't mean to, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”  

James hums. He’s not sure he wants to have this conversation anymore. “What about Voldemort? Or, or, Dumbledore.”

“James,” his dad prods him so he has to look at him. “I don’t know if Voldemort loved his mother, but he did not die for what he did. He died because when given the chance to repent, he refused it.”

James knows this story. He knows that his dad is so good that he offered the worst man ever a chance of redemption. He’s not willing to give in. “What about Dumbledore?”

“Professor Dumbledore’s whole plan for victory depended on asking an 18-year-old child to die for his cause.” His dad isn’t looking at him anymore. He’s just staring at the sky. “One day you might have a child that age and realize how desperately, how achingly young that is, and have a good long cry about it.”

“Like you will when I’m eighteen?” James tries to joke, but his dad’s face doesn’t change.

“Like I did, when Teddy turned eighteen.”

That’s fair, James thinks, and he shivers into the cold of the grass. It’s early still, but the sun isn’t giving them much in the way of warmth.

“Tea?”

“Let’s.” His dad leads him down, away from the castle, to where Hagrid lives. Hagrid is away in the forest, but his dad seems to know his way around the hut and makes them both a very large steaming cup of tea.

“Do you see what I mean?” His dad asks, his glasses foggy with steam.

“I think so. We’re not meant to be like the people we were named after, we’re only meant to know them.”

“That’s exactly it,” the bright smile he gets makes James feel proud of himself. “Very good.”

“I’ll talk to Al,” James promises, because he knows he should and he knows it’ll make his dad happy to hear.

“Thank you, darling.”

They talk about school, and about classes, until Hagrid comes back and James has to go inside for lunch. He makes sure to apologize to Al though. He even lets him borrow the map and cloak for the rest of the weekend.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another quote from the little prince! "Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."  
> Hit me up if you wanna talk about the little prince and how transformative everything about it is.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from the Little Prince: ""You are a funny animal," he said at last. "You are no thicker than a finger . . ."
> 
> "But I am more powerful than the finger of a king," said the snake."


End file.
